U.S. stock futures are falling as traders steel themselves after the worst trading day since 2008.
They are awaiting key data on hiring in July. The government report at 8:30 a.m. Eastern is expected to provide little comfort.
Fears that the economy might dip back into recession helped send the Dow Jones industrial average down 513 points on Thursday. European leaders are struggling to contain that region’s debt problems, prompting comparisons to the 2008 financial crisis.
Markets tumbled from Tokyo to London Friday as overseas traders reacted to the selloff.
Ahead of the opening bell, S&P 500 futures are down 2 points, or 0.2 percent, at 1,197. Dow futures are down 42, or 0.4 percent, at 11,329. Nasdaq 100 futures are down 5, or 0.2 percent, at 2,204.